Limited Time Sale

We are going to be closing out the store portion on our White Shadow website to focus more on training and EP work. If you see something there you want, contact me ASAP for our best price at ghdave2@hotmail.com with a good description of the item. Here are a few good examples of the quality product offerings.

Hogue Service

Occasionally you find a product and a company that provide both quality service and products. If you are really lucky it will even be an American Company selling American made products. Recently I bought a new replacement grip for my S&W snub-nosed revolver from a seller on Ebay™. I installed it and then threw out the packaging and paperwork. About a week later I noticed a small split forming in the rubber halfway down the backstrap. Within a couple days this split had grown to over an inch. I emailed the manufacturer and asked if they would replace it. Realizing that I had not bought it directly from them or a distributor I was just hoping they’d take pity on me. Several emails went unanswered and when I had all but given up I got a response. Seems my emails were going to the wrong person. The person who contacted me confirmed the style I needed and said it would ship the following day. Within three days it was at my house. No charge, no questions asked. I have Hogue™ grips on my S&W 686 Combat Magnum, Bushmaster M-4, and Kimber Stainless II. Hogue™ has always been my grip of choice and now I have more reason than ever to stick with them. My next purchase will be a replacement grip for my Colt Python. Great products and great service, a winning combination from Hogue™. http://www.getgrip.com/

Like a Woman Buying Shoes

Although I said I would talk about semi-auto pistols next, I decided instead to talk about holsters. For someone intending to actually carry a pistol, concealed or otherwise, finding the right holster is akin to finding the Holy Grail or a woman finding the perfect pair of shoes. In this near-communist state of New York I am lucky to have a CCW, a concealed carry pistol permit. That means not only can I carry it concealed, I MUST carry it concealed. Twenty miles to the south, in Pennsylvania you can carry openly. Such are the foibles of firearms laws in America.

Six months out of the year it is easy to carry concealed because of the rotten weather which requires wearing outer garments for warmth. Summertime it’s a different story. So, the cowboy style holster you bought, the one that jauntily dangles from your belt, will work in winter or afield hunting, but it will not work once the spring and summer seasons return. What are some of our CCW options during the briefly warm part of the year?

Shoulder Holster: This Don Johnson style of carry is excellent for a large, heavy pistol but it won’t work unless you constantly wear a jacket or shirt over it. The shoulder straps are hard to hide under thinner clothing and uncomfortable in hot weather. The other disadvantage to a shoulder holster, anytime of year, is it requires a very telegraphic cross-draw. Because of their complexity they are also usually the most expensive holster.

Hi-ride: There are two basic styles of hi-ride holsters, those that hang from your belt on a loop, and the pancake style. The first type tends to lean outwards with anything but the lightest of pistols. This causes the butt of the pistol to “print” and give away your secret. I prefer the pancake style which is in fact one of my top choices. This style pulls the holster in flatter against your body reducing printing. Quite often pancake style have three belt slots which allows you to have the pistol ride upright or with a forward slant, sometimes referred to as the FBI cant. The cant is especially helpful drawing longer barreled handguns. I like the El Paso Saddlery Crossfire™.

IWB Inside the Waist band: IWB is one of the better systems for concealed carry since the lower portion of the holster is hidden inside your pants or skirt. Thus a short upper garment covers the handgun much easier. I really like an IWB setup, the Galco Summer Comfort™ in particular. Depending on your build you may find this method presses the butt of the gun into your ribs. Also, you may have to buy garments with a larger waist size to accommodate the bulk of the holster. In summer you will still want a layer of clothing between you and the holster to reduce sweating and galling.

SOB, Small Of the Back: I use one of these (or the IWB) if I am riding in a car a lot. Instead of placing it six o-clock, at the small of my back, I slide it around to a four o-clock position with the butt facing forward and upside down. This does not give me the full advantage for concealment but it places my handgun parallel to my waist, keeping the muzzle out of the seat and the butt out of my ribs. While this position is very comfortable it does not encourage the most correct method of drawing.

Ankle Holster: Last ditch, used for a secondary, backup weapon or deep cover. Obviously this arrangement is not easily accessed without drawing a lot of attention and it requires long, loose fitting, pants legs. Finding a well designed and comfortable ankle holster may be difficult.

Ladies also have the option of carrying in their purse, but access is very slow and if your purse gets snatched, guess what else goes along with it. No matter which method of carry you choose you can be assured that your first holster will not be the best choice and, like me, you will end up with a box full of holsters. Always buy from a reputable company and make sure the mouth of the holster is reinforced so it will not collapse like a soggy taco. This makes it impossible to re-holster your pistol one handed. Ultimately there are no cheap holsters, only good ones or bad ones. Good luck!

Guns For a Change

I was recently asked what I would recommend for someone buying their first pistol. I am not a firearms expert, just an aficionado. Since Guns and blades go together well I thought I’d post my suggestions for those of you who might also be thinking about buying your first handgun. Ultimately a lot really depends on your hand size and what feels comfortable. The other major qualifier is what do you want the gun for, self defense or target shooting. Either way, a revolver is often the best choice (rather than a semi-auto) for beginners. For inexperienced shooters I think they are easier/safer to operate. I know a lot of people will probably gnash their teeth over that comment, oh well. So lets look at revolvers first and then next time I’ll talk about Semi-autos. Handguns come in a bewildering array of sizes, calibers, and finishes. It might be best to start with a brief description of the parts. This photo should make easy work of that.

Frame Size: A small frame pistol is easier to conceal in a purse and fits smaller hands but there are two trade-offs. One, the felt recoil is worse (which sometimes makes people flinch when they shoot them). Two, the shorter barrels found on most small frame guns seriously reduce accuracy anywhere beyond 7-10 yards. The second issue is not as important if the pistol is simply going to be used in the home or carried for self-defense. Mid-size pistols generally provide better accuracy for target shooting and their extra weight reduces felt recoil. In revolvers I prefer a mid-size frame. Thos photos shows three different frame sizes.

Caliber: My first choice of calibers is 357 magnum. My reason for choosing a 357 magnum is that I can shoot cheaper, lower recoil, 38 special ammo if I want to. Or I can shoot 357 magnum ammo, in the same gun, for more power. A pistol made for 38 special is limited to shooting 38 special ammo only. I would recommend staying away from 22, 25, and 380 calibers (most of these are only available in semi-auto pistols anyway.) There are some promising new calibers like 327 magnum but one big advantage to shooting 38 specials is the ammo is available in pretty much every gun shop, Walmart etc. across the nation.

Barrel Length: Barrel length is a very personal thing. Longer barrels are not necessarily more accurate, it is just easier to shoot them accurately. The further apart the front and rear sights are the greater the “sight radius.” This means that small movements of the barrel are more easily detected and therefore you can see when you are moving the barrel too much. Longer barrels will give higher velocity than short ones because the powder has more time to burn and build pressure in the barrel.
Self Defense In-close: Even a 1 ½ inch snub nosed barrel will work where the range is 5-7 yards or less. These are often referred to as “belly guns” or back-up guns.
Self Defense Street-Carry: For street, concealed-carry, I recommend barrels of four inch length. They provide the best compromise of easy carry, concealment, and accuracy.
Self Defense, Target, or Competition Shooting: Once you go past a five inch barrel, concealed carry is difficult for most people. Longer barrels are good for target shooting and hunting. Anything with a barrel over 6 inches is probably going to require a shoulder harness to carry it or sit with it (as in a car).

Makes: In my opinion, Smith & Wesson is the best name in revolvers, with Colt a very close second. Ruger is also tops, and Taurus is cheaper but reliable. Prices are according to this list with S&W most expensive and on down to Taurus. By the way, there is nothing wrong with buying a good used gun, especially from a reputable dealer.

Double Action: A double action pistol operates by pulling the trigger cocking the hammer and then dropping it all in one motion, shooting the gun. Most Double action guns can be fired single action too.

Single Action: You must cock the hammer manually for each shot, then pulling the trigger drops the hammer, shooting the gun. This is obviously slower. Old West style pistols were mostly single action.

Hammer guns: Most revolvers have an external hammer like the ones in the photo.

Hammerless guns: Some revolvers and semi-autos are hammer-less, using an internal or shrouded hammer or a striker. Hammerless guns are safer if you are going to carry it in a purse or a pocket where the hammer spur could accidentally snag on something cocking it. They are usually only made in the smaller "Pocket Pistol" models.

Grips: The choice of grips is very personal. Some people like checkered walnut or rosewood. Some like textured plastics, G-10, or Micarta. Pachmyer is an old name in aftermarket grips, using a hard rubber type material. Personally if I am going to shoot it a lot, or rely on it for self defense, I prefer grips by Hogue. They are extremely ergonomic, for comfort, and made from a tacky material for excellent grip retention. One other option is Crimson Trace grips which have a red laser sight installed.

Finishes: Some people like the traditional look of blued steel. It is very attractive but the least wear resistant of all finishes. Nickle plated revolvers are also attractive but can also wear with time and are very light reflective. There are many new coatings on the market that are wear resistant and come in various colors. Personally for a work or carry piece I prefer a brushed stainless steel. This is easy to maintain and does not reflect light. Green, blue, red, and even pink guns are available, but you might want to consider their resale value compared to a more traditional finish.

So you can see there are a lot of options to consider when making your first or even your tenth purchase. Take your time, shop around, and find a gun that fits your needs for a fair price. When everything is taken into consideration what do I carry? Personally I prefer a double-action, hammer-gun, with a four inch barrel. A stainless Smith & Wesson 686 Combat Magnum is currently my favorite revolver.

Just when you thought your troubles were over, once you have bought the perfect gun you are faced with finding the perfect holster to carry it in.